Minister Kota's Latest Salvo: Ban on Depicting Gods, Goddesses
 
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
 
Bangalore, Dec 26: Karnataka’s Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivasa Poojary, who hails from the coastal Udupi district famous for its temples, has now come out with a proposal for banning depiction of Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

The ban will be against portrayal of Hindu Gods and Goddesses on clothes, especially ''T-Shirts" and other readymade garments, and also on all fireworks cracker packs including match-boxes.

''I am seriously considering a move to prevent bars and restaurants being named after Hindu Gods and Goddesses as the activities taking place inside such places is not always in accordance with religious sentiments," he said and wondered how can bars be named after Gods and Goddesses as it would be ''totally inappropriate."

The minister, who created history of sorts soon after becoming minister by ordering special pujas in all the State’s 34,000 plus temples for invoking rain gods at a cost of little over Rs 18 crore, said an official circular banning the portrayal of images of Hindu Gods and Goddesses will be issued soon.

The reason for the latest official move, explained the minister, was because men and women, especially young boys and girls and even adults, who were such clothes and T-Shirts visit various places, including bars and even while watching sexually explicit adult movies with ''A" certificates from the censors.

''It is an insult to Gods and Goddesses," he said explaining that the Government wanted to prevent people from wearing clothes and visiting places that may be considered offensive to religious sentiments and beliefs.

As for packs of firecrackers and matchboxes, the minister said the packs with images of Hindu Gods and Goddesses were often discarded and thrown to the streets.

''One can find people trampling over such packs or motor vehicles driving over such packs. These packs can be found in garbage dumps or gutters and such other places where human and animal excreta is found," he said pointing out that it was necessary to put an end to this type of nuisance.

The circular would also aim at preventing misuse of private tiny temples from conducting black magic, the minister said.

The minister said several small temples have mushroomed on roadsides both in rural and urban areas.

Families who own these tiny temples, the minister said were allegedly indulging in several anti-social and exploitation activities.

''It is, therefore, necessary to check the proliferation of these small roadside temples and also ascertain the antecedents of the people who establish and run these tiny temples," he emphasized.

The circular would be issued directing temple owners to register with the department explaining their activities, he said.
 

''Muzrai Temples Won’t be Denotified"
 
The Muzrai minister said there is no proposal before the Government to denotify Muzrai temples in the State.

The Government wants to increase revenue generation of temples by streamlining their management, he said.

There was also no proposal to hand over the Muzrai temples to private parties or mutts.
Instead, the Muzrai Department has received 16 proposals urging the State Government to take over private temples run by some families and trusts, he said.

The Department runs 34,266 temples across the State. Some procedural rules would be drafted soon to follow while opening hundis in temples, he said.
 

Muzrai Day:
 
The minister said one day in the year would be celebrated as Muzrai Day and a decision to this effect would be taken soon.

Special programmes would be observed in temples on that day, Poojary said.
 

Pilgrimage Tours Covering 25 Temples:
 
The State Government has issued a notification to promote pilgrimage tours covering 25 temples in the State by developing infrastructure.

Each temple will get Rs 1 crore in 2012-13.

The minister said the Department has issued the notification for releasing Rs 1 crore for development of infrastructure at 25 temples.
 
"These 25 temples in the state will be promoted as pilgrimage tour temples." Annual income of these temples is Rs 25 lakh.

The temples notified for promoting pilgrim tours are:

Zarani Sri Narasimha Temple, Bidar; Yalagoreshwara temple, Bijapur; Maruthi temple, Bagalkote; Sogala Sri Someshwara temple, Belgaum; Shivanasamudra Sri Ranganath, Maramma and other temples, Simsa, Kollegal in Chamarajangar; Sri Halurameshwara temple, Hosadurga, Chitradurga; Sri Doddahotte Ranganath Swamy temple, Holalkere, Chitradurga; Sri Veerabhadraswamy temple, Tarikere, Chikmagalur; Sri Durgamba Temple, Kadur, Chikmagalur; Igguthappa temple, Kodagu; Sri Ramalingeshwara temple, Mulbagal, Kolar; Sri Anjaneya temple, Mulbagal, Kolar; Sri Pateshwara and Byraveshwara temple, Vemagal, Kolar; Sri Kanaka Chalapathi temple, Koppal; Sri Chennakeshava temple, Hassan; Sri Venkataramaswamy temple, Mandya; Sri Amurtheswari temple, Kota, Udupi; Sri Ranganantha Swamy temple, Srirangapatna, Mandya; Sri Vaidanatheshwara temple, T Narasipura, Mysore; Sri Mahishi Mardhini temple, Udupi; Kengal Sri Anjaneya temple, Chennapatna, Ramangaram; Sri Kanakadurgamma temple, Bellary; Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Tiptur, Tumkur; and Sri Subramanya Swamy temple, Pavagada, Tumkur.

The minister said various development activities, including accommodation, drinking water, toilets, would be provided at the temples to attract more pilgrims.

Tourism information officers would be appointed for all the selected temples.

Two buildings with 200 rooms have been inaugurated recently at Kukke Subramanya temple Dakshina Kannada district, he said.

The Department has planed to tie-up with Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation to arrange special tours to the 25 temples.

The Minister said lands belonged to Muzrai temples would be surveyed to recover encroached lands.

Deputy Commissioners of all the districts concerned and temple management committees have been instructed to conduct the survey.

Officials have also been told to clean lakes and tanks located near temples.
 

Haradi Rama Ganiga Award:
 
The Muzai Department would constitute an award with a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh in memory of noted Yakshagana artiste Haradi Rama Ganiga.

The award would be presented to a Yakshanaga artiste every year in April/May at a function at Sri Durga Parameshwari temple at Mandarthi in Udupi district.

A committee of experts would select the artiste, he said.

Pointing out that the State Government was aware of the financial difficulties faced by Yakshagana artistes, he said steps would be taken to pay some amount to Yakshagana troupes, who are not financially sound.